More than 1000 coups

“SOKO Bankomat” now chases Dutch master blasters

A trail of devastation: the ATM mafia is causing turmoil in the country.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA, zVg, FF Korneuburg-Stadt, Imre Antal)

They have no regard for human life: The new ATM mafia is wreaking havoc in Austria. Since the beginning of the year, 14 ATMs have already been blown up and with them the entire bank or post office branch. Now our security authorities are reacting.

Every week this year, up to two explosions on average shatter the stillness of dawn. A Dutch gang consisting of hundreds of members, most of whom have Moroccan roots, regularly blow up ATMs with homemade "bombs" made of black powder from banned rockets or rockets only permitted to pyrotechnic experts.

Frenzied escape with powerful cars
The young men in their 20s don't care if half the branch or even a residential building blows up with the ATM. The time of the crime is always between three and four in the morning, and they flee in (stolen) high-horsepower cars, all of them Audi models.

In Austria alone, there had already been 14 coups by the beginning of March. The total number of 2024 has already been exceeded. If the perpetrators are not caught soon, there is a threat of new record figures, such as those last recorded in 2018 (21 cases) and 2019 (20 cases).

However, ruthless criminals are keeping security authorities all over Europe on their toes. The Dutch-Moroccans are already responsible for more than 1000 (!) explosive crimes.

Now the local police are joining forces. By coordinating the investigations through a "SOKO Bankomat" in the Federal Criminal Police Office. The head of the investigation group will be the head of organized crime, Dieter Csefan. He already heads the successful "SOKO Jugend".

Security measures tightened at banking summit
The newly established working group is now set to intensify the hunt for the new mafia. "With the ATM working group, we are sending out a clear signal: Criminal structures will find no room in Austria. By closely networking the security authorities and cooperating with banks and international partners, we are ensuring that we can take swift, efficient and effective action against this form of crime," emphasizes Andreas Holzer, Director of the Federal Criminal Police Office.

In addition, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner will soon be convening a banking summit. Financial institutions should also strengthen their security measures, for example by detonating paint cartridges in the event of forced access and not just by not refilling ATMs. In addition to the millions in loot, the material damage caused by the explosions is even higher.

Carinthia and Vorarlberg still spared
Vienna in particular is a hotspot: there have already been explosions in the districts of Donaustadt, Favoriten, Simmering (twice) and Liesing. But explosions have also been reported in Lower Austria (Korneuburg and Gänserndorf railroad stations), Upper Austria (Wels and Pasching), Salzburg (Aigen), Burgenland (Neusiedl am See), Tyrol (Ötztal railroad station) and most recently in Graz. Only Carinthia and Vorarlberg have so far been spared. 

The criminal wave is forcing banks to take countermeasures. Some ATMs at the post office have already been taken out of service as a precaution, BAWAG foyers remain closed between 10 pm and 5 am. Other banks have also stepped up their security measures to prevent further attacks.